Mangle



y 1970 L. BRAVETTI I 3,510,971

ANGLE Filed Feb. 26, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

11v VEN TOR. 4 M! 0/2 0 film/e7 1? L. BRAVETTI May 12, 1970 MANGLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1969 IN VENTOR.

a meno mmver l' United States Patent Ofice 3,510,971 Patented May 12, 1970 3,510,971 MANGLE Libero Bravetti, Via Asti 1, Cologno Monzese, Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 802,385 Claims priority, application Italy, June 21, 1968, 18,045/ 68 Int. Cl. D06f 69/02 US. Cl. 38-8 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mangle for pressing textiles and similar articles stretches the articles as they are pressed against a rotating heated cylinder. The articles may be led through a series of successive mangles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mangle for pressing textiles and similar articles, and particularly to a mangle wherein such articles are flattened under simultaneous application of heat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The novelty resides not only in the construction of a single mangle but also in the adaptability of an arrangement whereby several adjacent near-identical mangles can be series-connected for automatic processing of articles. Instead of guiding each article repeatedly through the same mangle and possibly varying the operating conditions for each passage, the invention makes it possible to save time and labor by differentiating the operating conditions for each step in each successive mangle, so that the required pressing can be done without further regulation or supervision, if and when the specifications call for multi-stage pressing of articles.

According to the invention, the articles to be pressed are deposited on the circumference of a rotary heated drum and pressed against the drum by a rotating pivotable pressure roller. The latter is mounted so that its distance from, and pressure against, the drum can be adjusted according to the thickness of the articles which are lying against the drum in order to retard their motion. These portions of articles which advance beyond the pressure-roller are acted on by a pressing member which travels parallel to the major part of the drum, though at a different speed. The pressing member simultaneously flattens and stretches the articles during their passage between the circumference of the drum and the pressing member, until they are discharged either into a next-fol lowing mangle of a multiple-unit structure, or into a suitable container for further processing.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a mangle which embodies the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a battery of mangles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 there is shown a support means 1 housing a motor 11 whose shaft is connected via belt 13 with an input member 12 of a variable speed transmission 12. The output member of the transmission 12 drives a sprocket wheel 14 for an endless chain 15. Chain 15 is kept taut by a tensioning spring 16 by way of a roller 17. This chain drives a sprocket wheel 18 afiixed to a heatable drum 19. The sprocket Wheel 18 further drives a sprocket Wheel 20 for a second endless chain 21. Chain 21 is trained over a sprocket wheel 24' for a roller 24, over a sprocket wheel 22 which drives a traction roller 23, over sprocket wheels 39 and 40, sprocket wheel 30 which drives a roller 30', a sprocket wheel 29, and a further sprocket wheel 28 which drives a pressure roller 28.

The roller 30" drives a conveyor belt 36 on which the articles to be pressed are fed into the mangle. The conveyor belt 36 passes further under a roller 27 and along the arcuate surface 38 of a platform 37 before it returns to roller 30'. If several mangles are series-connected only the foremost mangle of the series is provided with the conveyor belt 36 and sprocket wheels 27 and 29; the adjoining mangles receive articles which are discharged from the first mangle after completion of the passage, when they drop by gravity into the appropriate position.

Traction roller 23 engages an endless pressing member 34 comprising an endless asbestos band, suitably treated and reinforced, which passes over rollers 24, 32, 31 and 41 as well as along a major part of the circumference of the drum 19 (between the points A-A). The speed of the band 34 exceeds the peripheral speed of the drum 19.

Finally there is shown another travelling band 35, made from glass fiber bands, which is driven and guided by rollers 25, 26, 27, the arcuate portion 38 of the platform 37, a portion of the circumference of drum 19 and then returned via roller 23 to roller 25. A tensioning device 25' is provided for the band 35.

Pressure roller 28 is pivotally mounted and connected to a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) which can move the roller 28 closer to, or further away, from the circumference of drum 19, depending on the specifications of a process. Roller 28 is covered by resilient material.

The operation of the mangle is as follows:

The article introduced via conveyor belt 36 rounds the arcuate portion 38 of the platform 37 and is entrained by band 35 moving along the circumference and at peripheral speed of the drum 19 which is heated by means not shown. The article is compacted by the pressure roller 28 under which it passes. Carried further along by the band 35, the article enters a narrow passageway defined by the band 35 on the drum and by the asbestos band 34 moving at a speed greater than the speed of the band 35. Thus the article, braked by the pressure roller 28 is stretched by the advancing band 34 and flattened by its pressing action between the points A-A'. Leaving the drum surface at the point A, the article is borne along between bands 34 and 35 to roller 24 where it is discharged.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the article, after it has passed through the first mangle (support 1), drops from the band 34 into the second mangle having the support 2, namely into the space between presure roller 28 and band 34 from where the article is transported through the second mangle and then through the third mangle (support 3).

The mangles of FIG. 2 further comprise deflecting rollers 42 affixed to sprocket wheels 43 which are driven by respective chains 21.

The purpose of the asbestos bands is to accelerate the transport of the articles in respect to the speed of the drum on which they are carried along; the purpose of the 3 glass fiber bands is to prevent twisting or folding of the articles by providing a flat intermediate layer between the articles and the drum surface.

The drawing further shows exhaust means and hoods 48 to draw off moisture.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of mangles dilfering fro the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in mangles for pressing textiles and similar articles, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. Apparatus for pressing textiles and like articles, comprising a mangle including support means, a rotary heated drum mounted in said support means, an endless flexible travelling pressing member movable at a speed different from the peripheral speed of said drum, a portion of said pressing member defining with the circumferential surface of said drum an elongated passageway having an inlet and an outlet and wherein said articles are transported, and stretching means located ahead of said inlet and cooperating with said drum to oppose advance of articles, which are introduced between said stretching means and said drum and thereupon enter said passageway through said inlet, at the speed of said pressing member, whereby the articles are tensioned during simultaneous engagement by said stretching means and said pressing member.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising drive means for rotating said drum at a first speed and for advancing said pressing member at a second speed, one of said speeds exceeding the other speed.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said second speed is said one speed.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said drive means comprises a motor, a belt driven by said motor, a transmission driven by said belt, and an endless chain driven by said transmission.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising a tightening device for said chain.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stretching means comprise a pivotable pressure roller and an elastic coat covering said pressure roller, said pressure roller being rotatable at the speed of said drum and movable into contact with and away from said drum.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a conveyor belt for fedding articles into said mangle.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional mangle in series with said first mentioned mangle.

9. Apparatus as defined in' claim 8, wherein said first mentioned mangle comprises a conveyor for feeding articles into the range of said stretching means.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a travelling glass fiber band movable at the speed of said drum, a portion of said band being trained over said drum for definition therewith of a floor for said passageway.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pressing member comprises a plurality of reinforced asbestos bands.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,844 9/1908 Denzler 389 1,521,444 12/1924 Harper 389 2,036,769 4/1936 Myers 38--11 2,394,421 2/1946 Asher l 389 2,442,376 6/1948' Rasmussen 38-9 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

